


Incarnate

by zarahjoyce



Series: KDrama [14]
Category: Korean Drama, 진심이 닿다 | Touch Your Heart (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Gen, Jossed, What Ifs, written before ep 8
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-30 21:06:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17836202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarahjoyce/pseuds/zarahjoyce
Summary: "Why?" Kwon Jung Rok demanded. "I mean... why would you want to call him?""Because!" Yoon Seo slammed her hands down the table. "Because unlike some blunt and naturally unlikable people, he watched 'The Sensitive Doctor' and thought I was wonderful in it!"aka Oh Yoon Seo meets Kim Se Won and Kwon Jung Rok Does Not Like It Very Much.





	Incarnate

"Isn't it a little too early for lunch?" Oh Yoon Seo said, moving her scarf down her face to say the words before quickly pulling it up again. "I mean, it's only 11:15 AM."   

Attorney Kwon Jung Rok glanced at her while putting his briefcase on the table. "The food here is good," he replied, taking his coat off and putting it on the back of his chair. "Besides, as you can see, at this hour this restaurant is basically deserted - lessening the chances you'll get recognized here. We can just go back to the office right after and start our afternoon work earlier. I have put together a few things I want you to do to help me win this case."

Already she could imagine that those few things entailed converting PDF files and photocopying files and running several errands. Yoon Seo pouted, but it only lasted a second.  _Oh well_ , she thought. He was her boss after all, and she supposed there  _were_ worse ways to waste away the afternoon. "If you say so," she said, reaching for the menu. "Although it's good that we're eating early; I haven't had breakfast yet."

He blinked at her. "And you're not feeling unwell?"

"No," she replied honestly, shaking her head. "I'm used to skipping meals. It's one of the best methods of dieting, don't you know? Just one meal a day - and after a week you'll weigh less by a few pounds." She flipped her hair. "Clothes  _always_ look better when you're slimmer, especially since the camera adds ten pounds."

"That sounds unhealthy and dangerous," he commented, frowning openly, "especially since you're  _not_ in front of one."

Yoon Seo shrugged. "It's a common industry practice. I don't see what's wrong with it."

Something on his face made her feel she'd said the wrong thing, but for the life of her she couldn't figure out  _what_ it was.

"Miss Oh Jin Shim," he said, leaning closer to her and making her pulse skip. "As long as you're working for me then you  _should_ see to it that you'll eat three meals a day." At her startled look he added, "I want you at the peak of health because we have so many things to do. You can't be of help to me if you're sick, and you're bound to get sick when you skip meals often." 

_Aw_. 

And here she thought he was concerned about her! 

Yoon Seo ordered her heart to stop fluttering about despite knowing that it was futile. "I didn't skip breakfast because I  _wanted_ to, it's because--" At his continued look she abandoned all efforts to explain; she threw her hands up and said, "All right,  _fine_. But if I gain weight, I'll blame _you_ for it."

"That's fine by me," he said, looking self-satisfied.

Yoon Seo looked down her nose at him. "And if I need to diet, then  _you_ should diet too."

A smile briefly appeared on his face, just then. "If you say so."

_God_ , he really looked good when he smiled. Yoon Seo hid her flaming face behind her menu. She's an  _actress_ , for crying out loud. She really should know how to hide her crush - or at least act like she didn't  _have_ one!

"Anyway, let's--"

"Kwon Jung Rok!" a loud voice called out. 

Yoon Seo glanced behind her. Who could that be? Another colleague of his? Or a friend, maybe?

Well, as long as it wasn't Miss Five Star  _Yoo Yeo Reum_  then  _any_ friend of his unexpectedly dropping by them would be fine by her book.

Her eyes settled on a handsome man quickly coming towards their table. Thank goodness she already had her sunglasses on! Otherwise it would have looked really odd if she scrambled to wear one now.

Curiously, she glanced at Attorney Jung Rok, trying to gauge his reaction. 

Was it her imagination, or did his face look more pinched than usual?

"Kim Se Won," he said blandly, staring impassively at the approaching man. "You're... here." 

_Kim Se Won?_

_...ah,_ Yoon Seo thought, internally patting herself at the back for remembering. He's the one Attorney Jung Rok name-dropped during his conversation with Miss Perfect Yoo Yeo Reum, wasn't he? The one the two of them hung out with since college?

What a good-looking trio they were. It's a wonder they didn't get discovered by some talent manager then! 

"I thought my eyes were deceiving me," Kim Se Won said once he was near enough. "I mean,  _Kwon Jung Rok_  in our building? And he didn't tell me beforehand? He didn't tell me to  _expect_ him?"

"I'm here for work, not a social call." Jung Rok crossed his arms. "Besides, I already saw Yeo Reum here and she didn't make too much a big deal out of it. I don't see why  _you_ should."

To her eternal annoyance, Yoon Seo could sense a bit of  _triumph_ in those words. 

She contemplated kicking his shin for good measure when Kim Se Won chuckled suddenly. "Oh, you saw her already, did you? What do you think? You think she looked good?"

Yoon Seo straightened in her seat, glaring daggers at Jung Rok behind her glasses. If he said  _yes_ to that question, so help her god she's going to--

"I'm not gonna answer that," Attorney Jung Rok said.

_Good_.

"You're no fun." Kim Se Won finally glanced at her - as if just realizing that the two of them weren't alone - and smiled widely. "But I'm being completely rude, aren't I? I'm Attorney Kim Se Won." He offered her his hand. "You must be his new secretary?"

"Yes. Hello," Yoon Seo said demurely, lowering her scarf. She was about to reach for Se Won's hand - except Attorney Jung Rok had already swatted it away.   
  
"Who knows what you've touched," he said, in response to both hers and Kim Se Won's astonished stares.  
  
Instead of looking offended, Kim Se Won just laughed aloud. "You  _really_ have my sincerest condolences for putting up with this guy." He patted Jung Rok's shoulder, all the while looking at her. "Or should I actually commend you for surviving him?"  
  
...was he actually expecting an answer from her? Or, like Miss College Friend Yoo Yeo Reum, was he  _just_ hoping to get a reaction from their friend? Yoon Seo shrugged the thought away and said, "He's not that bad." She shot a look at the man in question. Teasingly she added, "Once you get used to him."  
  
Jung Rok stared at her, dead-pan.   
  
"And  _you_ did?" Kim Se Won asked, as if aghast at the very idea. "You must have nerves of steel." He looked at her contemplatively. "Say, just how much are you getting from him? I can double it, if you want - if you work for  _me_ instead."  
  
Yoon Seo giggled. If only he  _knew_. "Well--"  
  
"That's enough," Jung Rok said, swiping Kim Se Won's hand off his shoulder and glaring at him again. "Don't you have somewhere  _else_ to be?"  
  
"Not really, no." Kim Se Won slid into the seat next to hers. "I was thinking of getting lunch, but this is much,  _much_ better than I've hoped for." He winked at her.  
  
Jung Rok, meanwhile, looked absolutely appalled. "No one invited you here!"  
  
"I invited myself and last I checked, that's not against any law. This is a  _really_ good spot you picked here, did anyone tell you that?" Kim Se Won leaned back, making himself appear more comfortable - much to Jung Rok's obvious ire.  
  
Well, wouldn't anyone know it? Yoon Seo thought she could actually  _like_ this friend of Jung Rok's - unlike Miss Prosecutor Yoo Yeo Reum whom she'd feed to sharks if she could. She leaned closer to him. "I heard you've known each other since college, Attorney Kim Se Won?"  
  
"Please, call me Se Won." He turned just so he was completely facing  _her_ instead of Jung Rok. "And if you're wondering if he's like this in college, then yes - he was. I think he's just born to be naturally blunt and unlikable."  
  
" _Hey!_ " Jung Rok said, scooting his chair so that he was sitting closer to her - and so that he was in Se Won's line of sight  _again_. "That's defamation, Kim Se Won!"  
  
"It's not defamation if it's the truth," Se Won said.  
  
Jung Rok curled his lip.   
  
"I can tell," Yoon Seo said, truly amused at how discomposed Jung Rok was acting, "that the two of you are  _really_ good friends."  
  
Se Won shrugged good-naturedly. "Like you said, he's not that bad - once you get used to him. Isn't that right, darling?" He puckered his lips and blew Jung Rok a kiss.  
  
Jung Rok was about to say something in response when his phone suddenly rang. He took it out, cursed aloud, and fairly snarled to Se Won, "When I return you better not be here -  _or else_. I mean it." And off he went.   
  
Leaving Yoon Seo with his friend.  
  
...well. This became awkward rather quickly.  
  
She gave Se Won a tentative smile. "It must be a client," she said, as if there was a need to explain for Jung Rok's actions. "He's always like that with them."  
  
"I know," Se Won said. "Prioritizing clients over friends? I'm the same way with mine."  
  
She nodded graciously. "Then they must be lucky to have someone like you representing them."  _Just like Jung Rok's clients were lucky to have him,_  she thought.  
  
"You flatter me too much," Se Won said, smiling. Then out of the blue he added, "I don't think I've gotten your name. That idiot Jung Rok never mentioned it to me."  
  
"Oh!" Yoon Seo said, internally panicking. "Yes, I'm-- Oh Y-- um. Oh J-Jin Shim." She bowed a little.  
  
Coming from her own mouth, her name sounded so... well,  _wrong,_ especially since she hadn't used it for so long.  
  
"Miss Oh Jin Shim?" Se Won repeated. "What a pretty name." He scratched his chin, all the while looking at her.   
  
Starting to feel a bit self-conscious, Yoon Seo tucked her hair behind one ear and asked, "W-Why are you looking me like that?"  
  
"Oh, nothing," he said. "I was just remembering something. But uh, I hope you don't find me rude. Do you always wear sunglasses indoors?" He gestured at his own face for emphasis.  
  
"Hmm?" Yoon Seo said, taken aback. "O-oh. I, um. I have, ah... an eye infection." Yes, yes that sounded logical didn't it? "I didn't want anyone to see my eyes; they're really red and swollen."  
  
"I hope you  _had_ them looked at especially if they're painful," Se Won commented.  
  
"Yes, I have, um. Drops. In my bag." Yoon Seo smiled at him. "They're getting better though, thank you."  
  
He nodded, and Yoon Seo internally breathed a sigh of relief.   
  
Until he said, "You know, you really remind me of someone."  
  
Oh no. Oh no oh no  _oh no._  "Is-- Is that so?" Yoon Seo said, giggling nervously. "I seem to always get that reaction from people. I wonder why."  
  
Was he able to see through her disguise? Could he already know just who  _she_ was? Was he more into the lives and identities of celebrities - unlike Kwon Jung Rok?  
  
_Ohhhh noooo._  
  
"Hmn." Se Won tapped his chin. "Miss Oh Jin Shim, are you fond of dramas?"  
  
She blinked at him. "D-Dramas?"  
  
"There's this one drama in particular that I really like," Se Won said. "' _The Sensitive Doctor_ '? It's among the best shows I've ever seen in my entire life."  
  
\--Wait.  _The Sensitive Doctor?_  That's  _her_ show! That's the last time she was seen on TV as a lead actress!   
  
And it was the best show he'd seen in his  _entire life?_  
  
Kim Se Won really  _did_ have good taste, she thought, her opinion of him rising exponentially.  
  
Struggling to keep her excitement, Yoon Seo said, "I've, ah, heard about it but I never really saw it." Which was technically true - for the last couple of weeks.    
  
"You should," he said easily. "The drama is really good. I've always thought the lead actress should have gotten an acting award for it." He crossed his arms. "It's such a shame she's not on any show now; I would love to see her act again."  
  
" _Really?_ " she squealed, before she could stop herself. Yoon Seo quickly cleared her throat. "I mean...  _really?_ "  
  
Se Won nodded. "You should convince Kwon Jung Rok to watch it with you; I bet he'll love it, too."   
  
"Oh, I don't know about that," she said, her excitement dying down a bit. "He seems  _really_ focused on his work. He doesn't have enough time for anything else - even TV shows. He doesn't even  _know_ about my-- I mean, commercials in general!" She pouted at him. "He's really like a hermit, come to think of it."  
  
"He may have the social skills of a rock but he's not completely hopeless - especially if  _you're_ the one doing the convincing." He leaned closer to her. "I have utter faith that you can do it."  
  
" _Me?_ " she said, pointing at herself. Then she laughed and playfully pushed him. "Oh you! You flatter me too much, Attorney Kim Se Won!"   
  
"I would love to flatter you more, but unfortunately--" He jerked a finger towards Jung Rok's direction. "He would have my head if I did. I suppose I'll just see you when I see you, Miss Oh Jin Shim?" He rose from his seat.  
  
_No!_ He couldn't leave yet! Not without explaining in great detail why he thought she deserved an award for  _The Sensitive Doctor,_ especially when everyone else mocked her acting in it!   
  
" _Wait!_ " she cried suddenly.   
  
At his expectant look Yoon Seo said, "Can I... get your card? Just in case I..."  _Quick, think of a good excuse!_  "Just in case I  _do_ need to look for another job...?"  
  
The odds of that happening were lower than zero, but he didn't have to know  _that_  now.  
  
"Why do I have the feeling that Jung Rok would actually be glad to kill me if that  _does_ happen?" To his credit, however, Se Won obliged her wish and gave her his calling card.  
  
Yoon Seo smiled sweetly at him in response. "I'll make sure to stop him if he tries."  
  
Se Won laughed loudly. "You do that," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder before moving away.  
  
She studied the card in her hands and giggled to herself.  
  
Yes, she really  _did_ like Kim Se Won very much.  
  
"--what was that?"  
  
Yoon Seo glanced at Kwon Jung Rok to find him hurrying towards their table. "What was what?"  
  
" _That!_ " He pointed at the calling card in between her fingers. "And the whole..." He mimed patting his own shoulder, frowning thunderously all the while.  
  
"What about it?" Yoon Seo asked. "He just said goodbye because  _someone_ said he shouldn't be here when that  _someone_ returned. And, this--" She waved the card, "--is me taking his number in case I wanted to call him."  
  
" _Why?_ " he demanded. "I mean... why would you  _want_ to call him?"  
  
"Because!" Yoon Seo slammed her hands down the table. "Because unlike some blunt and naturally unlikable people,  _he_ watched  _The Sensitive Doctor_  and thought I was wonderful in it!"  
  
Jung Rok blinked at her. "The one where you played the best surgeon in the country?"  
  
" _Ya!_ " Yoon Seo sniffed. "You don't have to sound so doubtful of it! I mean if  _you_ watched it, then--"  
  
"Let's," he said quickly.  
  
She frowned at him. "What?"  
  
"Let's watch it," Jung Rok decided. "Together. This weekend. At the office."  
  
Yoon Seo crossed her arms. "Why now? Why so sudden? You've never shown interest in  _any_ of my shows before!"  
  
"Exactly!" he said. "This will be a good opportunity for you to change my mind, don't you think?"  
  
She stared at him, trying to decipher if there was any sort of weird catch about this event.  
  
Jung Rok stared at her expectantly. "What do you say, Miss Oh Jin Shim?"  
  
\--wait, why was she even thinking twice about this? This would mean  _extra_ time with him, right? Doing something  _she_ enjoyed, for once?  
  
So she grinned at him and said, "Action!"


End file.
